


Invitation for Dáin

by moosefrog



Series: Raven-borne Messages [2]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, bagginshield
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-22
Updated: 2017-08-22
Packaged: 2018-12-13 17:41:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11765034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moosefrog/pseuds/moosefrog
Summary: Dáin receives a wedding invitation from his cousin Thorin via raven.





	Invitation for Dáin

Dáin Ironfoot was attending to a new farrow of piglets when the messenger arrived. His precious Borina had just given birth and was recovering in her pen. This was her third pregnancy and she had, by far, produced the most boars suitable for battle out of all of his breeding stock. If it was at all practical, he'd have covered her in jewels and gold for her excellent service to the Iron Hills! She was lying on her side as her piglets suckled and she was idly polishing off the celebration 'cake' he had personally made for her.

Only the best food for his Borina!

The cake was largely made of mashed roots mixed with apples and 'iced' with a good rich gravy. Birthing took a lot out of a sow, even one as fine as Borina.

He glanced up at the thwapping sound of big flappy wings and saw the bloody huge raven landing on a pen-post. It stared at him. He ignored it while he positioned the runt of the farrow at a choice teat. Once the runt was happily grunting while it suckled he stood up and brushed the dirt from the knees.

"Warl? What d'ye want ye great beast of a burd? Ye'll not be having any of my wee piggies, ye ken?" He eyeballed the bird who didn't move but did take on an air of affront, as if it were insulted by the accusation and thinking, 'Wee piggies', indeed!

"I am Roäc, son of Carc," the bird spoke in Westron and did so better than Dáin did, "and I bear a message for Dáin II Ironfoot, Lord of the Iron Hills from His Majesty, Thorin II Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain." It then, the bloody cheeky thing, stuck its leg out and looked away, its beak in the air.

"I figured Thorin had a message, ye daft old corbie," Dáin grumbled as he fumbled with the intricately wrought tube attached to the raven's leg. "Ain't none but Thorin using murderous raptors ta send love letters."

Roäc drew himself up straighter and looked down his beak at Dáin. He looked as proud and terrible as Dáin's grandmother had when you wiped your muddy hands on her clean skirts. Dáin turned his back on the raven and hunched his shoulders defensively.

Now that he was drawing comparisons between the raven and dwarves he wondered if Thorin liked the ravens so much because he shared traits with them. Big pointy nose, dark hair, pride you could bend steel around… and the ability to look down his nose at you and make you feel like you're a filthy child caught with his drawers full of doody.

The note was short and to the point,

_Dáin. I am getting married next autumn and I want you to attend. I'm marrying the hobbit._

_Laugh all you like._

_Yrs, Thorin_

Dáin turned the slip of paper over in his hands, looking for more, and, finding none, he burst out laughing. Aye, this note couldna been sent by anyone but Thorin!

"Summ'un get me a quill an' ink!" He hollered over the grunts and squeals of the pens. "I gots ta write my favourite cousin a love letter!"

**Author's Note:**

> The first of five ficlets where Thorin sends wedding invitations via Roäc and Troc.
> 
> My apologies for butchering Dáin's accent. 
> 
> Many thanks to [Medusine](http://archiveofourown.org/users/medusine) for feedback! :D


End file.
